Landlord Deposit Return Position

plzsm

Hello
would appreciate any info from someone who knows the legal position here. Moved out of a rental. Waiting for deposit to be returned via the DPS. The landlord has made a claim for £200 for repainting of one room (we are responsible for scuff marks). The price seems excessive. (the whole thing is an outrage but thats not the point here). Do we have to accept this? or can we challenege? can we arrange a quote?

DVardysShadow

You can challenge, though I believe there are deadlines. But £200 doesn't do much more than pay for pot of paint and a day's work from a tradesman with a decent reputation. And a tradesman for that kind of job won't take on more than 1 in a day, probably.

Blackpool_Saver

my understanding is that fair wear and tear cannot be deducted from deposits........

Pitlanepiglet

Fair wear and tear can't be deducted but damage can.

I don't understand why tenant's don't walk around with a touch up pot before they move out! That's what we did...

What sort of decor, how big was the scuff mark - wall? skirtings?

plzsm

funny you should say that but the problem is that i touched up scuff marks
the paint looked spot on but dried darker
there are 4 marks on one wall around the size of 5p pieces
and then another 5 on another wall with one about the size of a mars bars

apparently if i hadnt touched them up it would have been ok (iam kicking myself). Either way its a 2 min job to touch up with the right paint, or 30 mins max to paint both walls. £200 seems excessive. but just my opinion

so gutted as spent +£100 on professional cleaners and carpet cleaner

DVardysShadow

I think I would only touch up paintwork if I knew the exact shade and make.

30 mins and 2 walls may be your DIY approach, but I should expect a tradesman to do 4 walls, as there is quite a potential for mismatch on a half job. [As you have discovered]

Fire_Fox

For future reference many scuff marks can be removed with sugar soap but not with any other cleaning product I've ever tried.

Pitlanepiglet

plzsm wrote: »

funny you should say that but the problem is that i touched up scuff marks
the paint looked spot on but dried darker

Ahh OK, we bought a number of tester pots and checked in the corners of the rooms, maybe we were just lucky....

clutton_2

i have had many tenants "touch up" marks and it never works.. even if you get the same paint (most unlikely) the paint on the wall will have "weathered" and will not be the same colour anymore

its much easier to ask the LL for the paint and then paint the whole wall... if he gives you the wrong colour... his problem

bellrooster

Did you sign an inventory at the begining of the tennancy?

I think £200 sounds a lot, my mum had a very large room painted, 2 coats and a ceiling, a fireplace and upstairs and landing all for £280.

I would ask your landlord to provide the paint and offer to paint it yourself. If they don't agree to this I'd probably think about disputing the amount with the DPS.

plzsm

firstly thanks for the comments, appreciate them
yes, i know, its my fault i should have tested it, i dont dispute that

but what we are talking about is 2 small walls with 4 or 5 small marks on them
they have agreed to only persue the costs for the 2 walls.
I do think £200 is excessive for this, do i have the chance to see if i can get someone to do it cheaper?

altho it looks like i would probably be better putting it down to experience yes?